Gullveig : Friend Of Wicked Women

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Chapter 10

Alone Again​

As Freyja stood over the dead body of Gullveig she could feel the spark of life reignite within her remains. Realizing that the Seidr Goddess would soon rise up from her sleep of death, Freyja drew in as much power as she could hold together within her, and waited to see what would happen next.

Gullveig could barely move at first, but after a few moments she was able to roll over onto her stomach and force herself up onto her knees. After a few gasping deep breaths she felt strong enough to speak.

" You are much stronger than you were during the Aesir - Vanir War ! " Gullveig finally managed.

Freyja made a fist and a streak of pure energy soared into the sky. She did this to make a point before addressing Gullveig.

" Some see me only as a Vanir Goddess of great beauty,... or as a sexual fantasy,... but few, if anyone, ever sees me for what I really am ! I am a powerful Goddess who constantly practices and experiments with seidr ! I work very hard at my craft ! " she screamed at the Goddess who was struggling on the ground to regain her equilibrium.

Freyja pointed a finger at her opponent, and with fire in her eyes, and anger in her heart, screamed at Gullveig.

" You are no longer the Queen of Seidr ! I believe that title has been honorably won for myself this day ! "

Gullveig staggered to her feet, and raised her hands to the heavens to feed on the energy all around her.

" And it is a title that you may keep. For I have become nothing more than a friend of wicked women. " she told Freyja as she began to feel her power return.

Freyja placed her hands out in front of her and readied herself to attack Gullveig before she became too strong.

" So ! What shall we do ?! I cannot kill you, and you cannot kill me ! Shall we continue to battle for an eternity, or should we call a truce and try to work this out like honorable Vanir Goddesses ? " Freyja asked angrily, but with a hint of hope in her voice.

Gullveig stopped energizing herself once she felt strong, but not too strong to threaten the Goddess who had defeated her with her own seidr. With her hands held out in a gesture of friendship she walked over to Freyja.

" I have but one question to ask before I decide. " Gullveig told the new Queen of Seidr.

Freyja, realizing that Gullveig was not a threat,.... at least for the moment, let most of the elemental energy she had collected go. Then she looked Gullveig in the eyes and asked :

" And what is it that you wish to know ? "

Gullveig's lips tightened, and her eyes shone with anger as she spoke.

" The war had ended ! Odin and the Aesir were our friends and allies ! We Vanir, that is except for you, had spit our peace token into a cauldron to seal our friendship !! " Freyja quickly shot back at Gullveig.

Gullveig's eyes reddened with red - gold tears.

" Odin killed me three times ! He burned my remains three times !! How can you call him a friend when he tried to kill a Vanir kin of yours !? " she asked bitterly.

Freyja placed her left hand on Gullveig's right shoulder, and frowned.

" Don't you understand why he attacked you ? " she asked in a bewildered tone.

Gullveig wanted to rip Freyja's hand off of her shoulder, but she noticed something in her eyes that stopped her. And what she saw was honesty, and compassion.

" No ! Tell me ! " she angrily demanded.

Freyja laughed sarcastically.

" You were sent to Asgard to alleviate their fears of our magical ways, and to extend a hand of friendship between the Vanir and Aesir races. Instead, you took it upon yourself to show the Aesir how powerful our seidr can be ! Odin attacked you because he felt threatened by a power he had never seen before, and one which he did not understand ! " Freyja explainedangrily.

Gullveig nodded as the realization struck her that Odin's attack might have been partially her fault.

" I can accept that,... I suppose, .... but it still does not explain why you taught seidr to our enemy ! " she replied.

Freyja shook her head again out of sheer frustration.

" I taught Odin seidr to show him that it was not a weapon that we use against others, but merely an ancient practice,.... a tool that we use in our everyday life. Once he understood the magic, Valfather no longer felt threatened by it, and we Gods and Goddesses of Vanaheim have become very close to our Aesir brothers and sisters ever since. " she told Gullveig in a calm and reassuring voice.

Gullveig thought for a moment, and then frowned.

" And what if Odin were to use his new found power against us ? " Gullveig asked suspiciously.

Freyja smiled.

" Odin has used seidr several times. He has shape - shifted into an eagle and a snake. And I believe that he has made a few love potions. But he mainly uses seidr along with ancient Aesir chants to raise the dead so that he may speak to them. He does not even like to open portals, preferring instead to ride his eight - legged horse Sleipnir wherever he travels. " Freyja explained.

Then she added as she gently patted Gullveig on the shoulder :

" Odin is not a threat to us. "

Gullveig looked away and tried to put a smile upon her face. She failed miserably, but replied to what she had been told.

" Then I no longer have any animosity towards my Vanir brothers and sisters, .... or the Aesir in general for that matter. And I no longer have a quarrel with you either ! " she told Freyja.

Freyja looked suspiciously at Gullveig.

" And Odin ? " she asked.

Gullveig took a deep breath before answering.

" That will take much longer for me to resolve I am afraid ! " she explained.

Freyja nodded.

" I will return to Vanaheim and explain to our brothers and sisters that this was all simply a misunderstanding. I am certain once they know the reasons for your actions they will welcome you back. " Freyja told her.

Gullveig could not bear to look Freyja in the eyes, and turned her back to the Vanir Goddess.

" I am afraid that is not possible. I cannot return at this time. Maybe someday, but definitely not in the near future. " she explained.

Freyja shrugged her shoulders despite Gullveig not being able to see the gesture.

" Then what will you do ? " Freyja asked.

Gullveig blurted out a bitter laugh.

" The friend of wicked women will roam the nine worlds alone. " she told the new Queen of Seidr.

Gullveig did not turn around as she slowly walked away from Freyja. For she had nothing more to say, and there was nothing left that she wanted to hear.

Freyja watched Gullveig until she disappeared into the distance.

" I wish you love sister ! " she whispered into the wind.

Though too far away to hear Freyja's words, Gullveig's mind was still able to perceive them.